Setting up the stage for Relationship selling.

   No matter what the product may be, as a sales professional, you MUST start out on the right foot. If you want anyone to buy anything from you, you better make a good first impression. Trust is one of a sales professional’s greatest sales tools. Once the potential consumer trusts you, they will believe everything you say, therefore believing your product’s benefits, and making a purchase. In order to accomplish this feat you must obviously engage with the consumer some kind of communication, weather consumers come to you (ie. car sales) or you go out to your prospects (ie. door to door vacuum sales) controlling the conversation from the beginning is key. As a sales professional talking about your product right away usually opens the door for questions and criticism before value or trust is built. Now every situation is different, I understand, however unless your prospect indicates a time factor is involved, and is in a hurry for you to “get to the point”, start every first contact speaking about something other than your product. Almost every potential “customer” of yours has a “wall” built up of past purchasing experiences. This Wall can most easily be broken down by…..  you said it TRUST. Each person on this earth was created by God differently, so also everyones “Wall” is broken down differently. For some it’s as easy as making them laugh, for others you might have to listen to his WW2 stories. Finding common ground is easy if you ask questions, and talk about them. people love to talk about themselves, and if you let someone tell you enough about them, well you become a friend instantly! All of my friends know different things about me, and the more someone is interested in me, and my life, the more interested I become in them. Making a friend is the best way to gain trust, which is sales tip 001.